


Coming Home

by laurie_jeanne



Category: The Technomancer (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2019-04-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 02:35:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15087128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laurie_jeanne/pseuds/laurie_jeanne
Summary: Post-game.  Zachariah chose to tell the truth about Earth and Technomancy.  He is learning to live with his decisions, with Andrew to help him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Rating may change as we get into later chapters.
> 
> 4/29 - I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back to this. Real life gets in the way sometimes and it's hard to make time for passion projects. Hopefully, I'll get better about posting more often.

Zachariah returned to his room in Mutant Valley. Tired, dusty, and only wanting to wash and crawl into his bed. He couldn’t remember when he’d been so tired. Did he really need to wash? Washing the bedding tomorrow sounded like a better idea. He stumbled at the door. Andrew, sitting on their bed, startled when he heard the noise. Looking up, his face softened when he saw Zachariah. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.” Andrew reached for Zachariah, who half walked, half stumbled into Andrew’s arms. He sighed as he kissed Andrew. “I have missed you. Remind me again why we do this?”

Andrew smirked, “Because as the new Master, recruiting new technomancers requires you to be there in person.” Zachariah grimaced, “who made that stupid rule? He should be hanged.” But he was only half joking. After everything they had been through, the truth about Earth being gone, the truth that Technomancy was a gene mutation, and the truth that the water corporations had hid this knowledge for years. Zachariah sighed, “quit talking and kiss me with that smart mouth.”  
Andrew leaned in and scraped his teeth along Zachariah’s bottom lip. “But first, you wash. You’re dusty and I’ll not have you track all that Martian dust in our bed.” 

“Really?!” Zachariah whined. “You’re sending me off now?” But he knew Andrew was right. If Zachariah got dust and dirt in the bedding, it could take a week to get it out.  
Zachariah stripped off his travel gear. Andrew rummaged in the storage box and found the brush and cloth. The brush was stiff with very coarse bristles for scrubbing the Martian dust and grime off the skin. It was effective but left the skin red and raw in some spots. The cloth was a fine weave and very soft. It could soften the raw skin after the harshness of the brush. Andrew started brushing Zachariah’s shoulders. There’s a method to cleaning the dirt and grime without abrading the skin too much but still getting it mostly clean. He hummed as he worked and thought of the stories again. He’d once heard that the ancestors on earth would sit in a tub filled with water to clean themselves. He shook his head to clear the thought away. Imagine having so much water that you could waste it washing your skin. He’d been told that Earth had been mostly water, more than 2/3rds. Again, he shook his head to clear the thought away. Water was so precious on Mars. The Water Corporations ran the planet. Andrew couldn’t imagine any life where water wasn’t tightly controlled.

“Hey, you” Zachariah almost whistled. Andrew came out of his trance, looked at Zachariah’s shoulders, and was horrified. Zach’s shoulders were bright red and warm to the touch. Andrew had been so deep in thought that he lost track and worked the same spots too hard. He dropped the brush and quickly started working the cloth over Zach’s shoulders. Zach sighed and started to relax under Andrew’s touch. Zach always knew when Andrew was thinking too hard, but a quiet word usually got him back right. Zach was tired, bone deep tired. This trip had been a tough one, tougher than most. Evaluating potential technomancers was getting more challenging. He was having to personally travel farther across Mars than ever before. Now that the secrets were revealed, about Earth, about technomancers, people expected more from him. He was the one who had opened the vaults, he had spoked the truth to the Martian people. Earth was not coming for them. This was it, this was their lives, and deaths. He was having to travel farther outside the colonies run by the water corporations. There, families were less reluctant to send their children to the temple. Especially when the man they saw as the bringer of truth showed up in their home. The one who opened their eyes to the lies the water corporations had been telling for generations. But honestly, the technomancers had also been lying. Knowing that technomancy was just another mutation damned technomancers to a life very different than the one in the temples. But, if Zach was honest, it was so freeing living this way. No more lies and deep secrets hanging over them.

Many families saw Zach as a prophet, revealing the truth and lifting the Martian people out of ignorance. Because with Earth gone that’s what they were now, Martian people. They were no longer children of Earth, waiting night after for a signal to be reunited with their ancestral home. There were generations who had been born, lived, and died on Mars. But only now were they accepting it as home.  
“Have you heard a word I said?” Andrew’s question startled Zach out of his reverie, and it was now Zach’s turn to feel embarrassed. 

“Oh, sorry I…”

“Was not here,” Andrew finished for him. He kissed the back of Zach’s neck. “Come home Zach, I’ve missed you.” It was at that point Zach realized Andrew had completed brushing his back. Andrew handed the brush and cloth to Zach, “tell me while you finish up. It must have been a grueling trip if you’re still mulling over it.” Zach sighed. It had been more challenging this time. One family had an eight-year-old son. That’s the age he and Andrew had been when their technomancy had been identified. No, that’s not right. Scott had experimented on him and Andrew, had artificially introduced the mutation into their bloodstream. It had set him and Andrew on a path that completely changed their lives. But this family, and this young boy had triggered so many memories. The boy was especially gifted, like how Andrew had been. He had great power, huge potential, but no control. Control could be taught, discipline would come. But because the boy reminded him of Andrew, Zach had spent longer with the family than necessary. The family didn’t want to send their son to the temple for training. Now that Technomancers were just another mutant, not part of some elite religious order, it was harder to get families to commit to sending their children. But when Zach showed up personally, the family was gracious and almost eager to send their son with him. Almost as if his personal attention made the boy special. 

"Why did I do it? What made me the moral compass for all of Mars? Who was I to make that decision for all…”  
Andrew’s kiss stopped Zach mid-sentence. Soft yet earnest, “you know why, and we’re not talking about that again. What you did was save Mars from all the lies, and you know it.”  
Zach sighed, “I know. It just gets so hard going out and seeing these families.”

“Well,” Andrew smirked, “let’s see if I can set you right.” He leaned in and kissed Zach. Zach straightened up and broke the kiss. “I love you Andrew. You’re my best friend and my better half. You’re the foundation for everything I do. I can’t do any of this without you, and if you ever feel discarded or taken advantage of, then I’m sorry.” Andrew just shook his head, “I love you too. I do feel ignored sometimes, but we’re a team and we’re doing good work. If I had someone like you helping me when I was young things might have been very different. But we’re not dragging up the past. Tonight, is about us and our future, together.”

Zach held Andrew by the shoulders and gently pressed him onto the bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to post and I'm sorry this chapter is so short. I've been framing out the story and it's starting to go in a very different direction from where I started.

ndrew kissed Zach like a man possessed. His tongue darted into Zach’s mouth like that’s where all the water on Mars lay. Only Zach could quench his thirst. Zach responded eagerly, kissing Andrew with enthusiasm. But he broke the kiss and looked into Andrew’s eyes, “you ok?” It was part of their ritual now. Andrew needed to be reminded that he wasn’t Lucky anymore. When he was a kid, Andrew lost his left arm in an accident controlling his technomancy. He overloaded and caused an explosion, collapsing the roof of the school, injuring and killing numerous students and teachers. The temple didn’t know what to do, so they sent him away, selling him to a caravan of traders from Noctis. That scrawny one-armed kid learned how to survive. He learned how to tightly control his technomancy, and how to endure the abuse from the traders. He had been so small, plus with only one arm he couldn’t defend himself. Certain sounds or phrases could trigger a bad reaction. Early in their relationship, Zach felt particularly energetic and accidentally ripped Andrew’s shirt. Andrew froze, then fell silent. He didn’t speak for almost two days. When he did finally talk, he yelled at Zach. 

Now before they started, Zach always asked if Andrew was okay, or here, or something similar, helping to ground Andrew to the present. Reminding him that he wasn’t a scrawny kid, but a powerful man, in control of his technomancy and his life. He wasn’t forced to have sex, he wanted to be with the man he loved.

“Yeah, I’m ok.”

Their mouths crashed into each other, tongues and teeth scraping. They made love with abandon that night, with no regard for anyone that may be standing outside their one-room home. As head of the Technomancers, Zach had a permanent security detail. But Zach and Andrew wouldn’t have noticed them anyway. Unless Mars was collapsing in on itself, the two men could only focus on each other. At least for tonight. 

They awoke the next morning wound tight around each other. Zach cracked an eye open to see it was well into the morning. He kissed Andrew’s forehead, “wake up you. We have a lot to do today.” 

Andrew tightened his grip around Zach’s middle in an attempt to keep them in bed longer. He turned his face up to look at Zach, “how about a repeat of last night instead?”

Zach grinned as he kissed Andrew full and deep. “As much as I want to, you know today is the day.”  
“I know, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get to try. Right?”  
“I would get upset if you didn’t try,” Zach’s smile broadened. “But you have new trainees to show off, and one you said was ready for initiation. Right?”

“Caitlin,” Andrew agreed. “She’s really talented and come far in her training. I think she’s ready, except for one detail.”

Zach started to sit up, “what’s going on?”

Andrew pulled him back down. “Nothing to get in a huff, but Caitlin was brought in under the old technomancer masters. Master Conner was her original teacher. She was raised under the old way and it’s been a challenge convincing her what you did was right.”  
There was a name Zach hadn’t heard in a while. Master Conner had died in Ophir, when Colonel Viktor ordered the ASC to shut down the city and raid the church looking for him. Zach shuddered slightly at the memory. That was when his life started to turn upside down for him. He felt soft lips on his cheek. “Hey you, come back to me. Don’t give them any more than they’ve already taken.”

Zach sighed and settled back in bed, “you’re right and I’m sorry. Okay, tell me more about Caitlin.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet Caitlin, a young technomancer. She doesn't trust Zachariah, but he has an important request.

Caitlin stood stock-still outside her one-room hovel. She didn’t want to meet with Zachariah. Andrew had told her Zachariah wanted to meet her but didn’t say why. She replayed the conversation again. “I don’t want to talk to him, and anyway why should I?” Even in her memory, she sounded petulant.

“Well for starters he is the head of the church.”

She pressed her lips together. Caitlin didn’t want to say what she really thought of Zachariah. She hated him. Her life had turned upside down, and it was all his fault. But she trusted Andrew. More than once, he’d asked her for help training young Technomancers. She liked Andrew. He was patient with the younger students. He never raised his voice with them. Caitlin suspected it had something to do with his artificial left arm. That it didn’t hinder control of his flow was impressive. She’d gotten the courage once to ask about it. Andrew got very quiet. He said something, but all she caught was “accident” and “kid.” She never asked him about it again.

Her relationship with Andrew didn’t change how she felt about Zachariah. He was the reason she lived in Mutant Valley and not the temple in Abundance. Zachariah had revealed the secret every Technomancer learns on pilgrimage to all of Mars.  
Andrew tried explaining it to her. Something about the early settlers experimenting on other humans. Looking for ways to help them survive on Mars and stumbling on a mutation that caused Technomancy. This was the most tightly kept secret. Mutants are not full citizens. They’re treated as slave labor, performing all the harshest tasks. Now, thanks to Zachariah, all of Mars knew Technomancers were just another mutant to exploit.

Thinking about it made Caitlin angry.

Caitlin snapped out of her daydream to see him walking towards her with Andrew at his side. He looked stoic, even aloof. The two men chatted amiably as they walked. Andrew must have said something to give Zachariah pause. She watched as Zachariah turned to face Andrew. Zachariah smiled and his features softened. She watched as they leaned towards each other for a kiss. Caitlin suddenly felt ashamed and looked away. Like she stumbled onto something very private. Zachariah and Andrew approached her.

“Here she is Zach. She’s the one I told you about. The most talented Technomancer in a generation.”

She’d opened her mouth to tell him off. But when she heard Andrew, she quickly closed it. He couldn’t be talking about her. Andrew looked at her and smiled. She looked at Zachariah and mercy help her, he smiled as well. Then his mouth was moving. Oh, was he speaking to her? What was he saying?

“I’m sorry,” was all she could mutter.

He chuckled, “no problem. I was just saying how happy I am to finally meet you. Andrew talks about you non-stop.”

“He does?”

“Yup. He says you’ve been a great help getting some of the newer students acclimated to the Valley.”

Caitlin bristled. She hadn’t meant to, but she couldn’t help herself. She quickly glanced between Andrew and Zachariah’s faces. Yes, they had seen it.

“Don’t worry about it,” Zachariah said. “The change has been hard on everyone. That’s why I think you are the right person to help.”

“Why would I help you?” Caitlin immediately regretted her outburst. She tried being more agreeable, “maybe we should go inside, this might not be a conversation for the street.” She turned and pushed aside the dark curtain, which took the place of a door. Her hovel was really just a hole in the side of a mountain. Without a frame to attach a door, a curtain had to suffice. It did nothing for security but did manage to keep most light out. She stepped through her doorway, not looking to see if they followed.

Caitlin looked around her tiny room. Just to the left of the door was her bed. She thought about how small it was. She wasn’t very tall herself, but if she lay flat on her back and stretched, her feet and hands flopped off the top and bottom edges. The bed wasn’t very wide either, maybe two hands-width on either side of her. If she rolled over in her sleep, she fell on the floor. She was still training herself not to roll over in her sleep.

At the head of her was her footlocker. She thought it was a decent size, but she had nothing to compare. It held all her worldly possessions, which wasn’t much. A couple of changes of clothes and some personal items she’d brought with her when she fled Abundance. Her workbench took up the entire back wall and the rest of the tiny space. She leaned against the workbench, forcing Zachariah and Andrew to either sit on her bed or stand in the doorway. The men sat on the bed. From this position, Caitlin towered over them. She crossed her arms, trying not to sound peevish this time.

“Andrew said you wanted to see me, so what do you want…Master Zachariah?” She paused before using the honorific. She knew she should be more respectful but couldn’t help herself.

Zachariah cleared his throat, “Caitlin, you have every reason to be upset with me. I get it. The world is upside-down, and you blame me.”

She was grateful to be leaning against her workbench or she might have fallen over hearing that. “What?” She asked. “You’re okay that I’m angry?”

Zachariah nodded, “of course. I knew so many people would be. But I made the decision, to be honest with everyone on Mars, no matter the consequences.”

All the pent-up frustration and anger she felt poured out at once. “How dare you! You had no right to make that decision for me! For any of us! Do you know how many lives you ruined? My parents were so proud when I left home for training. Look at me! Look at us! Look at what you did to your brothers and sisters!” Caitlin panted from the exertion. Zachariah remained quiet, his head bent, and hands folded between his knees. Andrew stared at her, one hand on Zachariah’s back. The three of them stayed like that for what felt like a long time. Zachariah lifted his head to look at her. “You’re right. I decided for all of us. I didn’t think, except that we all deserve the truth. It shouldn’t be hidden anymore.”

“Is that what you are using as an apology because it’s terrible?”

“I’m not apologizing for my decision.”

Caitlin stared at him. “How can you sit there and say you aren’t sorry?”

“Because I’m not. Look, I’m not explaining my decisions to you. I know it's tough right now, but that’s why I’m here. The church needs help and Andrew tells me you’re the right person to do it.”

“Why should I help you?” Caitlin was tired. Getting angry drained her and she wanted to lie down. But two men were sitting on her bed.

Andrew spoke up. “You’re not helping Zach; you’re helping our brothers and sisters. You’re helping Mars.”

That made Caitlin stand up, “What do you mean helping Mars?”

Zachariah explained. “Earth is gone. It’s been gone a long time, but now everyone knows.” He held up a hand as Catlin straightened. “Yes, I know, it’s my fault. Just let me finish.”

Caitlin leaned back against her workbench and stayed quiet.

“We’ve spent two generations wondering why the shipments stopped. Raw materials the early settlers used to carve out lives on Mars. But they were doing it all wrong. Earth supplies, anything not native to Mars wouldn’t survive.”

Caitlin shook her head. “But what does that have to do with me?”

“Before we learned the truth about Earth, we were a society on hold. Just wondering why we lost contact and waiting for shipments to start again. Now, we need to do something. We’ve never really been self-sufficient. Our entire economy is based on recycling materials. But there is something we haven’t thought about.”

Caitlin stared at Zachariah and Andrew and waited. 

Andrew continued, “We’ve never gone back into the domes to look for ancient relics, not really. We’ve never actually searched the relics for information about the first settlers. We believe that any society smart enough to create a mutation for technomancy had to record other information.”

Zachariah nodded. “We’re asking you to go south. A dome there hasn’t been explored before, at least not by Abundance Technomancers. We don’t know what’s there, not specifically. “

Caitlin shook her head, “I still don’t understand what this has to do with me.”

“Andrew tells me that among your many talents was an ability to decode ancient artifacts from the first settlers.”

“Wait, you can’t?”

“Nope.” Zachariah paused. “Never got a chance to learn how.”

Caitlin looked from Zachariah and Andrew. Andrew shook his head, “Me either. I have even less formal training.” Caitlin noticed that Andrew closed his left hand, the artificial one, into a fist.

She hesitated. Feelings tumbled inside her head like a dust storm. She wanted to stay angry. Anger protected her, giving her strength. Part of her was also intrigued. She hesitated before speaking. “So, if I were to agree, and that’s still if, what exactly do you need from me?”

Zachariah nodded. “I get it. I’m asking a lot and haven’t explained it well. We found the southern dome only a few weeks ago. I think it’s been buried under sand drifts, that’s why no one knew about it. We don’t know what’s there or even if there’s anything to find. But we’d like you to go South and explore the dome.”

Caitlin stayed silent for a moment. “That’s why you want me to go. Because I know how to translate ancient texts. I can piece together if there’s anything valuable.”

“Exactly.” 

“Anything else I should know?”

“Two things. First, you’ll have to go alone. I can get transport for you most of the way, but we simply don’t have enough people to go with you.”

“Okay, that's bad. What’s the second?”

Zachariah deeply inhaled before continuing. “We also don’t know what Aurora knows, if anything, about the dome.” 

The mention of Aurora made Caitlin squirm. Abundance and Aurora were at war or had been before the world went sideways. She looked straight at Zachariah, “should I expect trouble?”

“There’s no way to know. The Aurora technomancers also went into hiding from their water corporation. I wouldn’t know where to start looking for them. But if we could ally with them, think of strong we’d become.”

“But, we’re at war…”

Andrew shook his head. “The water corporations were at war for control of Mars. We, all Technomancers, were simply pawns. But that’s not why we’re here. Zach’s just thinking out loud again.” Andrew rubbed the other man’s back. Zachariah closed his eyes and sighed.

“I’m sorry. My mind goes a dozen different ways when I’m tired. So, Caitlin. What do you say?”

She tried to settle the turmoil in her head. One thought kept rising, “I can read ancient texts. I can bring their knowledge and maybe help my brothers and sisters.”

Caitlin heard herself say, “Okay.” 

Zachariah stood and nodded to her. “Thank you. On behalf of the church. Come see me tomorrow and we’ll get you set up for travel. It’s a long journey.” He turned and looked at Andrew. Andrew stood and grasped Catlin’s hand. “Everything will be fine. You’ll see.”

She watched the two men walk out her door and wondered what she got herself into.


End file.
